Interactive Kiosk for Displaying Different Types of Content Platforms and Related Technology

Abstract

Embodiments are directed to towards an interactive kiosk application for displaying demonstrations for different types of content platforms. A kiosk application may generate a plurality of selectors. The number or type of selector may depend on a demonstration context. The demonstration context may be a technology demonstration context or a consumer experience demonstration context. Selectors may correspond to a particular demonstration for a given content platform. Also, selectors may be associated with a technology feature or a consumer experience associated with the content platforms. Upon activation of a selector, the kiosk application may start the demonstration. The kiosk application may be arranged to generate and record interaction information corresponding to a user's interaction with the demonstration. The interaction information may be communicated to a kiosk management server computer for use in reporting.

1 . A method for interactively displaying demonstrations for types of content platforms that are operative to display content, the method being performed by a client computer that comprises one or more processors, a memory operatively coupled to at least one of the processors, and a computer-readable storage medium encoded with instructions executable by and operatively coupled to at least one of the processors, the method comprising:
 displaying, on a graphical user interface, a plurality of demonstration-context selectors including at least one of:
 a technology-demonstration-context selector; and 
 a consumer-demonstration-context selector; 
   upon activation of the technology-demonstration-context selector by a user, generating, on the graphical user interface, a plurality of demonstration selectors, wherein each demonstration selector relates to a different type of content-platform technology, and corresponds to a demonstration for a type of content platform which employs that content-platform technology;   upon activation of the consumer-demonstration-context selector by a user, generating, on the graphical user interface, a plurality of demonstration selectors, wherein each demonstration selector relates to a location or activity that a consumer may experience, and corresponds to a demonstration for a type of content platform that reaches the consumer during that location-or-activity experience;   upon activation of at least one demonstration selector by a user, performing further actions comprising:
 displaying, on the graphical user interface or on a demonstration station, at least a section of the demonstration that corresponds to the activated demonstration selector; 
 generating, on the graphical user interface, at least one section menu item that corresponds to the currently displayed section of the demonstration; and 
 generating, on the graphical user interface, at least one action button that corresponds to the currently displayed section of the demonstration; 
   upon interaction by the user with the at least one section menu item and the at least one action button, generating interaction information that corresponds to the user's interaction with the at least one section menu item and the at least one action button; and   communicating the interaction information to at least a kiosk management server computer, wherein the kiosk management server computer generates a report that includes at least the interaction information.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 generating, on the graphical user interface, a plurality of technology-feature selectors;   upon activation of at least one technology-feature selector by the user, determining a portion of the plurality of demonstration selectors based at least on the activated technology-feature selector; and   enabling only the determined portion of the plurality of demonstration selectors for activation by the user.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 ;
 wherein generating the plurality of demonstration selectors further comprises:
 determining the plurality of demonstration selectors that are available to the user based on at least a credential that corresponds to the user. 
   
     
     
         4 . (canceled) 
     
     
         5 . (canceled) 
     
     
         6 . The method  claim 1 ;
 wherein the section of the demonstration that corresponds to the activated demonstration selector is displayed a demonstration station; and   wherein the method further comprises communicating with the demonstration station to enable the user interaction with the at least one section menu item or the at least one action button to at least trigger an action on the demonstration station.   
     
     
         7 . (canceled) 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 ;
 wherein the section of the demonstration that corresponds to the activated demonstration selector is displayed a demonstration station; and   wherein the method further comprises:
 determining the demonstration station based on the activated demonstration selector; and 
 guiding the user to the determined demonstration station. 
   
     
     
         9 . A network computer for interactively displaying demonstrations for types of content platforms that are operative to display content, comprising:
 a transceiver configured to communicate over a network;   a memory which stores at least instructions;   a processor device that is operatively coupled to the memory so as to be programmed at least to enable operations comprising:
 displaying, on a graphical user interface, a plurality of demonstration-context selectors including at least one of:
 a technology-demonstration-context selector; and 
 a consumer-demonstration-context selector; 
 
 upon activation of the technology-demonstration-context selector by a user, generating, on the graphical user interface, a plurality of demonstration selectors, wherein each demonstration selector relates to a different type of content-platform technology, and corresponds to a demonstration for a type of content platform which employs that content-platform technology; 
 upon activation of the consumer-demonstration-context selector by a user, generating, on the graphical user interface, a plurality of demonstration selectors, wherein each demonstration selector relates to a location or activity that a consumer may experience, and corresponds to a demonstration for a type of content platform that reaches the consumer during that location-or-activity experience; 
 upon activation of at least one demonstration selector by a user, enabling further actions, comprising:
 displaying, on the graphical user interface or on a demonstration station, at least a section of the demonstration that corresponds to the activated demonstration selector; 
 generating, on the graphical user interface, at least one section menu item that corresponds to the currently displayed section of the demonstration; and 
 generating, on the graphical user interface, at least one action button that corresponds to the currently displayed section of the demonstration; 
 
 upon interaction by the user with the at least one section menu item and the at least one action button, generating interaction information that corresponds to the user's interaction with the at least one section menu item and the at least one action button; and 
 communicating the interaction information to at least a kiosk management server computer, wherein the kiosk management server computer generates a report that includes at least the interaction information. 
   
     
     
         10 . The network computer of  claim 9 ;
 wherein the processor device is programmed to enable operations further comprising:
 generating, on the graphical user interface, a plurality of technology-feature selectors; 
 upon activation of at least one technology-feature selector by the user, determining a portion of the plurality of demonstration selectors based at least on the activated technology-feature selector; and 
 enabling only the determined portion of the plurality of demonstration selectors for activation by the user. 
   
     
     
         11 . The network computer of  claim 9 ;
 wherein generating the plurality of demonstration selectors further comprises:
 determining the plurality of demonstration selectors that are available to the user based on at least a credential that corresponds to the user. 
   
     
     
         12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . The network computer of  claim 9 ;
 wherein the section of the demonstration that corresponds to the activated demonstration selector is displayed a demonstration station; and   wherein the processor device is programmed to enable operations further comprising:
 communicating with the demonstration station to enable the user interaction with the at least one section menu item or the at least one action button to at least trigger an action on the demonstration station. 
   
     
     
         15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . The network computer of  claim 9 ;
 wherein the section of the demonstration that corresponds to the activated demonstration selector is displayed a demonstration station; and   wherein the processor device is programmed to enable operations further comprising:
 determining the demonstration station based on the activated demonstration selector and guiding the user to the determined demonstration station. 
   
     
     
         17 . A processor-readable nontransitive storage media that includes instructions for interactively displaying demonstrations for types of content platforms that are operative to display content, wherein execution of at least a portion of the instructions by a processor device enables operations comprising:
 displaying, on a graphical user interface, a plurality of demonstration-context selectors including at least one of:
 a technology-demonstration-context selector; and 
 a consumer-demonstration-context selector; 
   upon activation of the technology-demonstration-context selector by a user, generating, on the graphical user interface, a plurality of demonstration selectors, wherein each demonstration selector relates to a different type of content-platform technology, and corresponds to a demonstration for a type of content platform which employs that content-platform technology;   upon activation of the consumer-demonstration-context selector by a user, generating, on the graphical user interface, a plurality of demonstration selectors, wherein each demonstration selector relates to a location or activity that a consumer may experience, and corresponds to a demonstration for a type of content platform that reaches the consumer during that location-or-activity experience;   upon activation of at least one demonstration selector by a user, enabling further actions, comprising:
 displaying, on the graphical user interface or on a demonstration station, at least a section of the demonstration that corresponds to the activated demonstration selector; 
 generating, on the graphical user interface, at least one section menu item that corresponds to the currently displayed section of the demonstration; and 
 generating, on the graphical user interface, at least one action button that corresponds to the currently displayed section of the demonstration; 
   upon interaction by the user with the at least one section menu item and the at least one action button, generating interaction information that corresponds to the user's interaction with the at least one section menu item and the at least one action button; and   communicating the interaction information to at least a kiosk management server computer, wherein the kiosk management server computer generates a report that includes at least the interaction information.   
     
     
         18 . The media of  claim 17 ;
 wherein the execution of the at least portion of the instructions by the processor device enables operations further comprising:
 generating, on the graphical user interface, a plurality of technology-feature selectors; 
 upon activation of at least one technology-feature selector by the user, determining a portion of the plurality of demonstration selectors based at least on the activated technology-feature selector; and 
 enabling only the determined portion of the plurality of demonstration selectors for activation by the user. 
   
     
     
         19 . The media of  claim 17 ;
 wherein generating the plurality of demonstration selectors further comprises:
 determining the plurality of demonstration selectors that are available to the user based on at least a credential that corresponds to the user. 
   
     
     
         20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . The media of  claim 17 ;
 wherein the section of the demonstration that corresponds to the activated demonstration selector is displayed a demonstration station; and   wherein the execution of the at least portion of the instructions by the processor device enables operations further comprising:
 determining the demonstration station based on the activated demonstration selector and guiding the user to the determined demonstration station. 
   
     
     
         22 . The media of  claim 17 ,
 wherein the section of the demonstration that corresponds to the activated demonstration selector is displayed a demonstration station; and   wherein the execution of the at least portion of the instructions by the processor device enables actions further comprising:
 communicating with the demonstration station to enable the user interaction with the at least one section menu item or the at least one action button to at least trigger an action on the demonstration station. 
   
     
     
         23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . A system for interactively displaying demonstrations for types of content platforms that are operative to display content, comprising:
 a client computer, including:
 a transceiver configured to communicate over a network; 
 a memory which stores at least instructions; 
 a processor device that is operatively coupled to the memory so as to be programmed at least to enable operations comprising:
 displaying, on a graphical user interface, a plurality of demonstration-context selectors including at least one of:
 a technology-demonstration-context selector; and 
 a consumer-demonstration-context selector; 
 
 upon activation of the technology-demonstration-context selector by a user, generating, on the graphical user interface, a plurality of demonstration selectors, wherein each demonstration selector relates to a different type of content-platform technology, and corresponds to a demonstration for a type of content platform which employs that content-platform technology; 
 upon activation of the consumer-demonstration-context selector by a user, generating, on the graphical user interface, a plurality of demonstration selectors, wherein each demonstration selector relates to a location or activity that a consumer may experience, and corresponds to a demonstration for a type of content platform that reaches the consumer during that location-or-activity experience; 
 upon activation of at least one demonstration selector by a user, enabling further actions, comprising:
 displaying, on a demonstration station, at least a section of the demonstration that corresponds to the activated demonstration selector; 
 generating, on the graphical user interface, at least one section menu item that corresponds to the currently displayed section of the demonstration; and 
 generating at least one action button that corresponds to the currently displayed section of the demonstration; 
 
 upon interaction by the user with the at least one section menu item and the at least one action button, generating interaction information that corresponds to the user's interaction with the at least one section menu item and the at least one action button; and 
 communicating the interaction information to at least a kiosk management server computer; and 
 
   the demonstration station, which comprises:
 a display. 
   
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 24 ;
 wherein the processor device of the client computer is programmed to enable operations further comprising:
 generating, on the graphical user interface, a plurality of technology-feature selectors; 
 upon activation of at least one technology-feature selector by the user, determining a portion of the plurality of demonstration selectors based at least on the activated technology-feature selector; and 
 enabling only the determined portion of the plurality of demonstration selectors for activation by the user. 
   
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 24 ;
 wherein generating the plurality of demonstration selectors further comprises:
 determining the plurality of demonstration selectors that are available to the user based on at least a credential that corresponds to the user. 
   
     
     
         27 . (canceled) 
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 24 ;
 wherein the section of the demonstration that corresponds to the activated demonstration selector is displayed a demonstration station; and   wherein the processor device of the client computer is programmed to enable operations further comprising:
 determining the demonstration station based on the activated demonstration selector and guiding the user to the determined demonstration station. 
   
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 24 ;
 wherein the section of the demonstration that corresponds to the activated demonstration selector is displayed a demonstration station; and   wherein the processor device of the client computer is programmed to enable operations further comprising:
 communicating with a demonstration station to enable the user interaction with the at least one section menu item or the at least one action button to at least trigger an action on the demonstration station. 
   
     
     
         30 . (canceled)